The present invention relates to adjustable shelving for storing or staging work pieces in close proximity to a robotic work station.
Robotic work stations are becoming more commonplace in industry. For example, a conventional work piece positioning device for a robotic welding operation includes a rotatable fixture having two part-holding drums on opposite sides thereof. The first drum is initially on the operator""s side of the device, which allows the operator to remove the welded work pieces and load onto the drum the work pieces to be welded. Meanwhile, on the robot""s side of the device, the robot welds the previously loaded work pieces found on the second drum. When the robot completes its welding operations on the parts on the second drum, the positioning device rotates the fixture so that the first drum is presented to the robot and the second drum is presented to the operator for unloading and loading.
It is desirable to have parts bins near the machine for the operator""s use. Thus, conventional stand alone shelving units having fixed shelves traditionally have been provided in the general vicinity of the operator""s side of the positioning device. However, there is a need for shelving units on or near work piece positioning devices for robotic work stations wherein both the height and angle of the shelves can be adjusted easily to accommodate bins for parts and parts of various sizes, shapes and orientations.
Thus, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved shelving unit to be placed on or near a work piece positioning device in a robot work station.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a shelving unit wherein both the height and angle of at least one of the shelves is easily adjustable.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a shelving unit that is integrally attached to the work piece positioning device.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an adjustable shelving unit that is inexpensive to manufacture, adaptable to holding bins for parts and parts of various sizes and shapes, and durable and reliable in use.
These and other objectives will be apparent from the drawings, the claims and the description and that follows.
The invention relates to adjustable shelving for storing or staging bins for parts and parts in close proximity to a robotic work station. The shelving unit of this invention includes one or more shelves movably and releasably clamped to channel members on a shelf frame with mounting means that permit both the height and angle of the shelves to be adjusted. The shelving unit can stand alone or can be integrally attached to the headstock or tailstock of a work piece positioning device, an existing fence, or other stationary equipment in the robotic work station.